1. Field of the Invention
The present general inventive concept relates to a light scanning unit and an image forming apparatus employing the same, and more particularly, to a light scanning unit including a synchronization signal detecting unit that detects a horizontal synchronization signal and has an improved structure, and an image forming apparatus employing the light scanning unit.
2. Description of the Related Art
Light scanning units that scan light emitted from a light source onto a predetermined area are employed in various apparatuses and devices such as electrophotographic image forming apparatuses, scanning display devices, or the like.
Since the light scanning units form images by using scanned light, it is important to determine start and end positions of a scanning operation, and thus the light scanning units include a synchronization signal detecting unit for horizontally synchronizing the image.
For example, in electrophotographic image forming apparatuses, a light scanning unit forms an electrostatic latent image by scanning a light beam on a photoconductive drum. The formed electrostatic latent image is developed as a development image by using a developer, such as a toner, and the development image is transferred to a printing medium. In such an image forming apparatus, if a scanning position of the light beam scanned on the photoconductive drum is different for each scanning line, an image shift occurs, and a position where colors overlap with each other to form a color image is moved. The synchronization signal detecting unit included in the light scanning unit detects a part of the scanned light beam in order to determine a scanning position of the scanned light beam, and there is a need to minimize noise that may be generated in the synchronization signal detecting unit in order to form a high-resolution image.